Buckhorn Lake

Buckhorn Lake sits at the top of the Wisconsin DNR grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Wisconsin. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

A TSI value of 40 puts Buckhorn Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. The lake's maximum depth is not yet documented in state morphometric records — context for its physical structure remains limited. At 30 acres, Buckhorn Lake sits below the Wisconsin median: a small water where shoreline activity has an outsized effect on water quality. Among the 11 graded lakes in Sauk County, Buckhorn Lake ranks 2 — in the top quartile locally.

No invasive species are currently listed at Buckhorn Lake — the lake remains off the Wisconsin infested-waters roster. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Buckhorn Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.